In Great Baddow, there is a lively, sociable, local community. Lower down this page we have brought together information from many of the Clubs, Societies, Churches and Organisations that meet locally. Where there is a regular meeting pattern, we have tried to include details in the perpetual monthly calendar. There is also a collection of local information, including library opening times and local public transport, that we hope you will find useful.

It is always best to confirm dates and times with the relevant organisation, since we cannot guarantee that they will stick to what we've been told. Please mention the website if they ask how you found out about them.

If your group meets regularly in the Village or nearby and is not included, please email the information manager with the content that you would like us to include. Excessive content may be edited to fit within our guidelines.

Arthritis care

The local branch usually meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the United Reformed Church. For more information contact Mark Winchester on 01245 472918.

Meetings are on Mondays in the Reading Rooms, Bell Street, Great Baddow at 7.45p.m. for a prompt 8:00p.m.
start unless otherwise stated. Details from (01245) 261690

Bell Ringers (St Mary's)

Great Baddow church bell ringers hold practices at St Mary's on the first and second Friday evening of each month.
We ring the bells on Sundays, for weddings and funerals and for fun, and we always need new recruits.
Any age from about 11 upwards. You needn't be particularly strong or musical, but should be able to count to 8!
If you would like to see if church bell ringing is something you would like to try,
please contact Jo Elliott on 01245 604792 or jo.elliott@blueyonder.co.uk

Brownies and Guides meeting locally

For child protection reasons, meeting and contact details are no longer available on the website.

Great Baddow & Danbury has 18 units which are based in the villages of Great Baddow, Sandon, Bicknacre, Danbury, East Hanningfield & Little Baddow.
There are 4 Rainbow Units (not currently in Sandon or Little Baddow), 9 Brownie Packs (not currently East Hanningfield),
4 Guide Units (not currently in Little Baddow or East Hanningfield) and a District Ranger Unit.

All enquiries must be made to the Guiding county office on 01376 570464

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society (CARS) is a vibrant club with over 120 active members holding amateur radio licences. A Meeting is held on the First Tuesday of each Month in the Marconi Sports & Social Centre, Beehive Lane, Great Baddow, Chelmsford and start at 7.30PM (Local).

The Chelmsford Folk Dancers began as the Chelmsford Ceili Club in
1971, they were later renamed The Chelmsford Folk Dance Club, and are
now known as The Chelmsford Folk Dancers. They meet regularly on Tuesdays at 8pm in the British legion Hall in Great Baddow.

The group (formerly known as Great Baddow and Galleywood Environmental Group) was founded in 1986 with the aim of improving the ‘green environment’ of the two parishes. The group undertakes practical conservation work at various sites across the two villages. Sites where work is currently undertaken by the group includes Galleywood Common, Meadgate Stream, Chelmer Park Orchard, Baddow Hall Park and Luxfields (off Vicarage Lane in Great Baddow). For some years the group has also been involved in helping local schools plant and maintain boundary hedges.

The group meets monthly on Sunday afternoons as well as on alternate Wednesday mornings throughout the year. Specific dates and times are advertised under ‘What’s On and Where’ on this website and on the Noticeboard of Galleywood Parish Council’s website.

Equipment is always provided as well as refreshments.

The group also normally arranges social events such as walks on summer evenings, an annual trip in the summer and an annual dinner at a local restaurant in the late autumn.
Everyone is welcome although some sites are not suitable for young children.
Membership is free.

For more information, contact Åsa Pamphilon on 01245 609778 or e-mail asaros@hotmail.co.uk.

The Community Association runs the Millenium Centre which is situated in the centre of the Great Baddow Recreation ground. It comprises a large Members' Bar, two function rooms that are available for hire, one of these has a large kitchen also for hire. There is a meeting room on the first floor.
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Currently the members' club has a thriving membership of approximately 1600 and the function rooms are used for regular weekly activities and can be hired for functions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries etc at weekends. The members' bar has Sky TV (including Setanta) and activities such as darts, crib and snooker take place there. Local football and cricket teams use the Centre as their headquarters. Lunchtime meals are available in the bar.

The Great Baddow Community Care Group helps people in the village
by transporting them to hospitals, clinics and doctors surgeries when
they are in need of transport because they are elderly or infirm.

Great Baddow Flower Club

Great Baddow Flower Club meets monthly on the third Thursday at the Parish Hall. 7.15 for 7.45pm. Visitors are welcome, £3-50 at the door.
For more information call 01245 476978.

The Baddow & Galleywood U3A hold general monthly
meetings with an invited speaker on the second Wednesday of each month at the Great Baddow United Reformed Church at 2.15pm.

Great Baddow Recreation Ground Tennis Club

Please note that this Club unfortunately ceased its activities in September 2013.

Great Baddow Women's Institute

We meet on the 4th Thursday of each month at Great Baddow Parish Hall, Maldon Road from 1.45pm (for 2pm) until 4pm.

At our afternoon meetings we have speakers, some of whom give demonstrations or slide shows on a wide variety of interesting subjects, together with a competition which relates to the speaker's topic. This year we have a fund raising event every other month. These will be varied, some with a particular theme.
At our meetings, members discuss various trips that would be of interest together with visits to local theatres.

So why not come along to a meeting? You will be made very welcome and make new friends while enjoying a cup of tea.
Our current president elected in October 2008 is Olive Aldus and our secretary is Olive Brown.
We look forward to seeing you.

HMRS is a society for the collection and exchange of information
for historians and modellers of the railways of the British Isles. Meetings commence at 7.45 pm on the last Friday of the month. The venue is St Mary's Church Centre, Great Baddow, Chelmsford.

Saint Andrews Youth Fellowship is a local self funding voluntary youth group. Established in 1974. It is for kids aged 7-18.
We meet on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm to 9 pm in school term time at Sandon Villiage Hall, Woodhill road, Sandon, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7SQ.

Sandon Garden and Allotments Association

The trading shed is now open on Sunday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon for all your gardening needs.
We also have some gardening tools for hire to members at £1 per week. Come and support us and have a chat about all aspects of gardening.
Our membership fee is £2.50 or £1.50 for senior citizens.
The trading shed is situated at the bottom of Hall Lane on the left hand side by the allotments.

We also arrange two coach outings a year - the first one in 2010 was to Savill Gardens on 24th April fully booked. The second was to Wadderston Manor on the 18th September. Further information on 01245 476951.

Sandon Women's Institute

Sandon Women's Institute welcomes both members and visitors to its meetings which usually take place in Sandon Village Hall at 2pm on the second Thursday in the month.
Sandon WI was founded in 1918 and is twinned with Landfrauenverein in Backnang, Germany and Milson WI, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
In addition to monthly meetings other activities include Keep Fit and Craft Club.
More details are available from the Secretary, Mrs Dorothy Gray, on 01245 223609.

Scouts

1st Great Baddow Scouts is a new group that started on 3rd November 2011 at Baddow Hall Junior School. Details can be found on their website.

1st Sandon Scout Group meet in Sandon Village Hall on Thursday evenings with Beavers starting at 5.00pm, Cubs at 6.20; Scouts at 8.00. Contact Paula Wheeler on 474891 for further details or look on their website

The drama group in Great Baddow started in 1982 and since then has grown strongly and now stages 3 productions a year. The group is always willing to welcome newcomers for its productions – usually in January, May and October and invites you to contact them either via their website or by email to: theatreatbaddow@tiscali.co.uk.

We have been offering classes in central Chelmsford and the immediate area since 1939; one of our oldest branches is that in Great Baddow.
We teach classes at Great Baddow Parish Hall on Wednesdays from 3.45 pm to 6.45 pm; the classes there are suitable for students from 3 years until about 8 or 9 years after which they move to the main Central Chelmsford sites.

Zumba Fitness Classes (Great Baddow)

Every Friday evening from 7.30 - 8.30 in the Parish Hall. (£5 per class; £3.50 concessions). New class started 22nd September on Thursday mornings at Bell Centre 9.45 - 10.30 then 10.45 - 11.30 (£4 per class or both morning classes for £6). Tel Michelle Harkes, fully qualified Zumba Instructor, on 07845 494644 for further details.

That's all Folks! Unless you know differently - in which case, please get in touch to have your organisation's details added here.